Journal of Pest Science (2018) 91, 861-871

Costas Ch. Voudouris, Konstantinos Mavridis, Argyro Kalaitzaki, Panagiotis J. Skouras, Amalia N. Kati, Panagiotis A. Eliopoulos, John Vontas and John T. Margaritopoulos (2018)
Susceptibility of Ceratitis capitata to deltamethrin and spinosad in Greece
Journal of Pest Science 91 (2), 861-871
Abstract: Ceratitis capitata is an important pest of citrus in Greece, also causing severe damage to other fruits. Its control has been based on organophosphates for many decades, but recently there has been a switch to pyrethroids. In the present study, the resistance status to deltamethrin and spinosad in 27 C. capitata samples from various hosts and regions of Greece was examined with toxicity bioassays. The bioassays did not reveal significant levels of resistance in either of the two insecticides. All but one of the samples tested with deltamethrin showed a significantly higher LD₅₀ than the susceptible strain (LS) but the resistance factor (RF) values were low (1.2–4.6). In support of this, no significant overexpression of the CYP6A51 gene (associated with pyrethroid resistance in other studies) was detected in the samples examined compared to the LS, indicating the absence of incipient pyrethroid resistance. Lower between-sample variation was observed in the response to spinosad compared to deltametrin; CV for LD₅₀ values: 19.4 vs. 40.0%, respectively, RF values: 1.1–2.4 and 23 out of the 27 field samples had LD₅₀ significantly higher than the LS. This might suggest lower genetic variation related to resistance where selection can act. Our results suggest that deltamethrin can effectively control C. capitata in Greece and spinosad may be a valuable alternative, once registered for the control of this pest in Greece. However, continuous monitoring is important given that P450-mediated metabolic resistance has been demonstrated for C. capitata populations in the Mediterranean basin.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): John T. Margaritopoulos

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pesticide resistance of pest
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Ceratitis capitata	Citrus (genus)	Greece